1. Early Life and Amateur Career
Song-Hee Kim's formative years and early golfing endeavors laid the groundwork for her professional success, beginning with her birth in South Korea and continuing through her significant achievements as an amateur.
1.1. Birth and Education
Song-Hee Kim was born on July 16, 1988, in Seoul, South Korea. She later attended Yonsei University, a prominent educational institution in South Korea, balancing her academic pursuits with her developing golf career.
1.2. Amateur Activities
During her amateur career, Kim distinguished herself as a promising talent. A notable achievement was her participation in the Espirito Santo Trophy in 2004, where she represented South Korea. This experience in a prestigious international amateur team competition provided her with valuable exposure to high-level play before turning professional.
2. Professional Career
Kim's professional career began in 2006, leading her through the Futures Tour to the highly competitive LPGA Tour, where she established herself with a series of strong performances and team appearances.
2.1. Professional Debut and Futures Tour
Song-Hee Kim turned professional in 2006. In her debut year as a professional, she immediately made a significant impact on the Futures Tour, securing five victories. Her wins included the Louisiana Pelican Classic, the IOS Golf Classic, the Aurora Health Care Championship, the CIGNA Chip in For A Cure FUTURES Golf Classic, and The Gettysburg Championship. These multiple wins in a single season highlighted her readiness for the higher echelons of professional golf.
2.2. LPGA Tour
Kim joined the LPGA Tour in 2007. Over the course of her LPGA career, she consistently competed at a high level. In 2008, she recorded seven top-10 finishes, including two second-place finishes and one third-place finish, contributing to earnings of 980.88 K USD and a rank of 14th on the money list. Her strong performance continued into 2009, where she secured 12 top-10 finishes, with two third-place results, earning 1.03 M USD and ranking 11th. The 2010 season was particularly strong, as she achieved 15 top-10 finishes, including two second-place and three third-place finishes, leading to earnings of 1.21 M USD and a career-high money list rank of 8th. She maintained a high level of play in 2011 with two top-10 finishes, including one second-place finish, and earnings of 350.38 K USD, ranking 33rd.
2.3. Major Championship Results
Throughout her LPGA Tour career, Song-Hee Kim participated in several major championships, achieving notable results:
| Tournament | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kraft Nabisco Championship | T21 | 3 | T33 | CUT | ||
| LPGA Championship | CUT | CUT | T9 | 2 | CUT | CUT |
| U.S. Women's Open | T50 | T24 | 12 | 13 | T34 | |
| Women's British Open | CUT | T11 | T19 | T14 |
Explanation of table notations: "CUT" means the player missed the halfway cut and did not complete the tournament. "T" indicates a tie for a position. Blank cells indicate the player did not participate in that specific tournament. Kim's best performances in majors included a 3rd place finish at the 2010 Kraft Nabisco Championship and a 2nd place finish at the 2010 LPGA Championship.
2.4. Team Appearances
Kim also represented her country and continent in professional team events. She was a member of the Asia team at the Lexus Cup in 2008, an event that brings together top professional golfers from Asia and other parts of the world.
3. Key Records and Awards
Song-Hee Kim's career is marked by notable statistics and prestigious awards, reflecting her consistent performance and impact in the world of professional golf.
3.1. Career Statistics
The following table summarizes Song-Hee Kim's official career statistics on the LPGA Tour from 2007 to 2013, reflecting data through the 2013 season:
| Year | Tournaments played | Cuts made | Wins | 2nd | 3rd | Top 10s | Best finish | Earnings (USD) | Money list rank | Scoring average | Scoring rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 19 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | T22 | 78,660 | 99 | 73.72 | 75 |
| 2008 | 25 | 21 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 980,883 | 14 | 71.23 | 10 |
| 2009 | 25 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 12 | T3 | 1,032,031 | 11 | 70.52 | 8 |
| 2010 | 22 | 22 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 15 | 2 | 1,208,698 | 8 | 70.21 | 4 |
| 2011 | 22 | 19 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 350,376 | 33 | 72.62 | 47 |
| 2012 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | T33 | 10,872 | 145 | 76.86 | 139 |
| 2013 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | T43 | 11,668 | 139 | 73.73 | 126 |
3.2. Awards and Recognition
Song-Hee Kim's impressive performance on the Futures Tour in 2006 earned her significant accolades. She was recognized as the Futures Tour Rookie of the Year and also received the prestigious Futures Tour Player of the Year award in the same year, acknowledging her dominance during her inaugural professional season.